Rig Veda 10.2.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 2, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.2
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
वेषि होत्रमुत पोत्रं जनानां मन्धातासि द्रविणोदा ऋतावा । स्वाहा वयं कृणवामा हवींषि देवो देवान्यजत्वग्निरर्हन् ॥
véṣi hotrám utá potráṁ jánānāṁ mandhātā́si draviṇo-dā́ ṛtā́vā | svā́hā vayáṁ kṛṇávāmā havī́ṁṣi devó devā́ny ajatuvāgnír árhan ||
ನೀನು ಜನರಿಗಾಗಿ ಹೋತೃಪದವನ್ನೂ ಪೋತೃಪದವನ್ನೂ ವಹಿಸುವೆ; ನೀನು ಮಂಧಾತಾ (ಪ್ರೇರಿತ ಚಿಂತಕ), ದ್ರವಿಣೋದಾ (ಸಮೃದ್ಧಿದಾತ), ಮತ್ತು ಋತಾವಾನ್ (ಋತದ ಪಾಲಕ). ಸ್ವಾಹಾ ಎಂದು ನಾವು ಹವಿಸ್ಸುಗಳನ್ನು ಸಿದ್ಧಪಡಿಸುತ್ತೇವೆ; ಅರ್ಹನಾದ ದೈವ್ಯ ಅಗ್ನಿ ದೇವರಿಗೆ ಯಜಿಸಲಿ.
Word by Word
- वे॑षि
- you seek / you desireVerbPresent (laṭ), 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRole Kartā (implicit ‘त्वम्’ = Agni)Root √वश् (वशँ) / √वस्? (वश् ‘to desire/seek, to be eager’)
- हो॒त्रम्
- the office/function of the Hotṛ (invoking priesthood)NounNeuter, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot होत्र (from √हु ‘to sacrifice, offer’)
- उ॒त
- and / alsoIndeclinableParticleRoot उत
- पो॒त्रम्
- the office/function of the Potṛ (purifying priesthood)NounNeuter, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot पोत्र (from √पू ‘to purify’ > potṛ ‘purifier-priest’)
- जना॑नाम्
- of the peoplesNounMasculine, genitive pluralRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (genitival relation)Root जन (जन ‘people’)
- मन्धा॒ता
- (you are) the Mándhātṛ (inspired arranger/ritual establisher)NounMasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (predicate-noun of ‘असि’)Root मन्धातृ (epithet; ‘one who sets/places by thought’, ritual title) / from √मन्थ/√मन् + धा
- असि॑
- you areVerbPresent (laṭ), 2nd person singularRole Kartā (implicit ‘त्वम्’)Root √अस् (to be)
- द्रविणो॒दा
- wealth-giverNoun/AdjectiveMasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (predicate-noun of ‘असि’)Root द्रविणोद (द्रविण ‘wealth’ + -द ‘giver’, from √दा ‘to give’)
- ऋ॒तावा॑
- possessing ṛta (true order), righteousAdjectiveMasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (predicate-adjective of ‘असि’)Root ऋतावन् (ṛtá + -वान् ‘possessing ṛta’)
- स्वाहा॑
- svāhā (ritual acclamation)IndeclinableExclamation/formulaRoot स्वाहा
- व॒यम्
- wePronoun1st person, nominative pluralRole KartāRoot अस्मद्
- कृ॒णवा॑म
- we make / we performVerbPresent (laṭ), 1st person plural, parasmaipada (Vedic form)Role KartāRoot √कृ (to do, make)
- ह॒वींषि॑
- oblationsNounNeuter, accusative pluralRole KarmaRoot हविस्
- दे॒वः
- the god (Agni)NounMasculine, nominative singularRole KartāRoot देव
- दे॒वान्
- the godsNounMasculine, accusative pluralRole KarmaRoot देव
- य॑जतु
- let him worship / may he sacrificeVerbImperative (loṭ), 3rd person singular, parasmaipadaRole Kartā (subject = ‘देवः/अग्निः’)Root √यज् (to worship, sacrifice)
- अ॒ग्निः
- AgniNounMasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (apposition to ‘देवः’)Root अग्नि
- अर्ह॑न्
- worthy / deservingAdjectiveMasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (qualifier of ‘अग्निः’)Root अर्हन्त् (from √अर्ह् ‘to be worthy, deserve’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-style): वेषि | होत्रम् | उत | पोत्रम् | जनानाम् | मन्धाता | असि | द्रविणोदाः/द्रविणोदा (RV form) | ऋतावा | स्वाहा | वयम् | कृणवाम | हवींषि | देवः | देवान् | यजतु | अग्निः | अर्हन्. Notable: (1) द्रविणोदा is a compound ‘wealth-giver’ (द्रविण + दा) used as a nominative epithet
- RV often shows stem-final -a without classical -ः. (2) ऋतावा is Vedic nominative sg. of ऋतावन्. (3) कृणवाम is Vedic present 1pl of √कृ. (4) Accent marks preserved as in Saṃhitā text
- pada-division removes external sandhi but does not alter inherent Vedic accent
The meaning
Outer meaning
You bear the office of Hotṛ and also of Potṛ for the peoples; you are the inspired thinker, the giver of wealth, the keeper of ṛta. With svāhā we make the offerings; may the divine Agni, worthy, sacrifice to the gods.
Inner meaning
Agni is not only the invoking priest (hotṛ) but also the purifier/clarifier (potṛ): he both calls higher powers and purges what is mixed or distorted in human nature. As mandhātā (inspired thinker), Agni represents illumined will that can conceive the right movement. As draviṇodā (giver of plenitude), he brings inner wealth—energy, capacity, and spiritual substance. As ṛtāvā, he guards right order. ‘Svāhā’ becomes the gesture of self-giving: we shape our experiences into offerings. Then Agni, as the divine in us, performs the sacrifice—meaning the will itself becomes divine operator, not ego.
Universal truth
When aspiration becomes intelligent and purifying, it turns life into a disciplined self-offering; then the divine force within can carry the work and establish abundance and order.
Themes
Agni as multiple priest-functions, purification and invocation, worthiness (arhan), inner plenitude
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.2 (Agni as multi-function priest and ṛta-holder)
Significance
The verse maps ritual roles onto inner functions: invocation + purification + inspired thinking + plenitude—suggesting a psychological taxonomy typical of esoteric Vedic reading.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Hotṛ, Potṛ, Mandhātā, Draviṇodā, Ṛtāvā, Arhan (worthy)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī/Iḷā (inspiration; thematic), Varuṇa (ṛta guardian; thematic)
Cosmic role
Priest of the cosmos who both purifies and invokes, ensuring offerings reach the gods according to ṛta.
Inner power
Integrator of functions: aspiration, discernment, intuition, and effective offering—turning the human into a fit vessel.
In ritual
Where it is used
General yajña where Agni is invoked as Hotṛ; potṛ function prominent in soma rites (purification of soma)
वेषि॑ हो॒त्रमु॒त पो॒त्रं जना॑नां मन्धा॒तासि॑ द्रविणो॒दा ऋ॒तावा॑ । स्वाहा॑ व॒यं कृ॒णवा॑मा ह॒वींषि॑ दे॒वो दे॒वान्य॑जत्व॒ग्निरर्ह॑न् ॥
वेषि॑ । हो॒त्रम् । उ॒त । पो॒त्रम् । जना॑नाम् । म॒न्धा॒ता । अ॒सि॒ । द्र॒वि॒णः॒ऽदाः । ऋ॒तऽवा॑ । स्वाहा॑ । व॒यम् । कृ॒णवा॑म । ह॒वींषि॑ । दे॒वः । दे॒वान् । य॒ज॒तु॒ । अ॒ग्निः । अर्ह॑न् ॥
veṣi | hotram | uta | potram | janānām | mandhātā | asi | draviṇaḥ-dāḥ | ṛta-vā | svāhā | vayam | kṛṇavāma | havīṃṣi | devaḥ | devān | yajatu | agniḥ | arhan
44
4 pādas (approx. 11 syllables each)
Declarative and authoritative; a ‘credentialing’ rhythm enumerating Agni’s functions.
Builds trust and reliance on the inner Fire as competent guide; stabilizes consecration mood.
- होत्रम् (hotram)
- Literal: Hotṛ office. Symbolic: invoking power—calling light, peace, strength through word and will
- पोत्रम् (potram)
- Literal: Potṛ office. Symbolic: purifying discernment that removes mixture, error, and egoistic distortion
- मन्धाता (mandhātā)
- Literal: inspired thinker. Symbolic: illumined ideation—will guided by intuition
- द्रविणोदाः (draviṇodāḥ)
- Literal: giver of wealth. Symbolic: giver of inner plenitude: force, skill, substance for the path
- ऋतावा (ṛtāvā)
- Literal: possessing/keeping ṛta. Symbolic: guardian of right order and truth in action
- स्वाहा (svāhā)
- Literal: well said/so be it (offering call). Symbolic: act of self-giving; consent of the lower to the higher
- अर्हन् (arhan)
- Literal: worthy. Symbolic: the divine will deserving trust and leadership
Agni identified with multiple priestly functions (Hotṛ, Potṛ), indicating integrative liturgy; used where Agni is invoked as the primary officiating power enabling correct offering and purification.
When affirming Agni’s priestly authority and making svāhā offerings.
Offer clarified oblations with svāhā; acknowledge Agni as the one who performs the sacrifice to the gods.
Use as a mantra of consecration before eating, work, or study: ‘with svāhā I offer’; invite purification of motives and clarity of intention.
Key terms: (1) mandhātā: traditionally a title ‘inspired thinker’; from √man ‘think’ (PIE *men-; cf. Eng. mind) with intensifying/derivative formation. (2) draviṇa: ‘wealth, substance’; linked to √dru/drav ‘run, flow’ semantic field → ‘that which flows/serves as resource’; inner sense: flowing plenitude of force. (3) ṛtāvā: ṛta + possessive -vā ‘having ṛta’. (4) svāhā: sva ‘self/one’s own’ + āhā (exclamation/utterance), formula of complete offering.
Ṛta (ṛtāvā), svāhā as self-offering, inner wealth (draviṇa) as plenitude
Explicit: Agni as ṛtāvā maintains the lawful flow between human offering and divine response.
Truth in action requires purification (potṛ) and inspired right idea (mandhātā).
Plenitude (draviṇa) arises when offerings align with ṛta.
Karmayogic Vedic psychology: inner priesthood of consciousness; action becomes sacrifice.
Fire = transformative will; offering substance = energies of life; svāhā = surrender gesture; purification = removal of inner smoke/impurity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the composite priest: he embodies both invocation (hotra) and purification (potra), and thus can rightly conduct the sacrifice. Mythically, the divine Fire takes over the whole priestly economy; psychologically, the awakened will both calls higher powers and refines the offered energies.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- mandhātā is built on √man (PIE *men- ‘think’), a core Indo-European cognition root. The sacrificial verb √yaj has Indo-Iranian cognacy (Avestan yaz-), supporting a shared ritual lexicon.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Humans ‘make the offerings’ (kṛṇavāma havīṃṣi), but the effective sacrifice is performed when Agni—worthy and ṛta-possessing—acts as the divine officiant. The reciprocity is division of labour: human preparation + divine execution in ṛta.
Twofold inner act: invoke higher consciousness (hotṛ) and purify mixed motives (potṛ); then offer with svāhā.
Manipura (fire/will) with supportive clarity in Ajna (mandhātā as inspired thought)
Exhale-offering: on each exhale inwardly say ‘svāhā’ and release a thought/emotion into the inner flame; keep inhale natural.
Consecrated, purified, quietly empowered.
Before action, ask: ‘What is to be purified? What is to be invoked?’ Offer both—impurity and aspiration—into Agni, letting the divine will act without ego interference.
Rigvedic accents as per śākhā; keep ‘svāhā’ clearly long ā; observe accent marks where present in the Sanskrit line.
Enumerative phrasing: give slight emphasis to each title—hotram… potram… mandhātā… draviṇodā… ṛtāvā—then soften into ‘svāhā’.
hotram/potram: clear aspirated ‘h’, ‘p’ unaspirated, mandhātā: keep ‘dh’ voiced aspirate, draviṇodā: retroflex ‘ṇ’, arhan: light ‘h’ and dental ‘n’
Steady, priestly, with a gentle offering tone on ‘svāhā’.
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